INSIDE TRACK A prolific Guy when it comes to the Masters
POLY ACE A REAL RECORD BRACK-ER
■■THE North Eastern Counties Indoor Track and Field Championships, supported by Start Fitness, takes place at Gateshead College Indoor Athletic Hall this Saturday/ Sunday, February 17/18.
The Championships, which also incorporates the Cumbria equivalent and the NEMAA Championships, sees the field events – shot, high jump, long jump, triple jump and pole vault – take place on the opening day while sprints and hurdles take place on the second day.
Action, with spectators welcome, gets underway at 10am both days. ■■THE North Eastern Counties Road Relay Championships, supported by Start Fitness and hosted by Houghton Harriers, takes place this coming Saturday at Hetton Lyons Country Park, Hetton-le-Hole.
There are two competitions on the progamme with the fourstage 2.22-mile event for senior women, veteran women (over-35) and veteran men (over-50) opening proceedings at noon.
The six-stage senior men and veteran men (over-40) over the same course and distance, closes the action at 1.15pm. ■■THE final fixture of the Start Fitness North East Harrier League takes place at Alnwick Pastures – hosted by Alnwick Harriers – on Saturday, March 3.
The programme opens at 12.15pm with a ‘Try CrossCountry’ event for competitors aged nine and 10.
With individual and team places to be decided competition, as it always is at Alnwick, is expected to be lively ■■THE final Gateshead College Indoor Athletics meeting of the winter is scheduled for Thursday, March 15
Track events commence at 7pm with field events starting at 6.15pm. Pre-entries via www. race-results.co.uk/results/2017. Entries also accepted on the night from 5.30pm. GUY BRACKEN is already the World Masters over-55 1,500m and 3,000m indoor champion and now he is breaking world records.
Last week Bracken travelled to the Lee Valley Stadium, London to chase down the world over-55 indoor mile record which stood at 4min 42secs set by American masters’ legend Nolan Shaheed.
The North Shields Poly athlete had warmed up for the challenge with a couple of outings over 1,500m and a 3,000m in Sheffield last month, and while he didn’t produce the sort of times he was hoping for he knew he was in better shape before setting off for the capital.
Bracken, a prolific racer who travels the length and breadth of the country seeking good competition, was full of praise for Shaheed, a giant when it comes to masters running.
“Nolan has set the bar over the past decade or so, setting new age group world records over a number of distances, both indoors and outdoors,’’ said 56-year-old Bracken.
“He is an ambassador as far as masters athletics is concerned so, in a way, you could say I wanted to emulate him if possible.
“And that’s why I focused on breaking at least one of his records.
“I went to London knowing I was in good shape and, if everything went smoothly, was capable of dipping under 4:42.
“I purposely opted out of tackling the A race at Lee Valley as I didn’t want to be blown away by much younger lads, and I have to say it was certainly the right decision.
“The B event still had some decent athletes on the start line, and from the gun the pace was spot on for what I was hoping for.
“Each lap was bang on schedule and while I didn’t win the race (Bracken finished in second place) I was naturally jumping for joy when I heard my time announced.’’
Bracken’s superb achievement had shaved over two seconds off Shaheed’s figures, setting a new over-55 indoor mile record with a time of 4:39.84.
With that now in the bag Bracken has his sights on further glory in the coming months, although he has a hard act to follow after lifting the World Indoor 1,500m and 3,000m and European Outdoor 1,500m and 5,000m titles last year.
“Next month I’m off to Madrid for the European Masters Indoor Championships and then later in the year it’s the World Masters Outdoor Championships in Malaga in September so I have plenty to focus on,’’ added Bracken.
“However, before turning my attention back to track racing I hope to line up for the Poly at this weekend’s Signals Road Relay Championships at Hetton.
“It’s nice to break up the momentum now and again and the Hetton Relays is one of my favourite events.
“It’s a fast two-mile and there is always a huge turnout and it gives me the opportunity to compare times with the faster boys who turn out as a matter of course after slogging it over the country in previous weeks.’’